Cross border county lines gangs being tackled in regional operation
Communities across Dorset are being urged to come forward and report any drug-related activity to help build an intelligence-rich picture as part of a regional campaign to disrupt county lines gangs.
Communities across the south west are being urged to report any drug-related activity to build an ‘intelligence-rich’ picture which will inform a regional campaign to disrupt county lines gangs.
The regional intensification campaign – called Operation Scorpion – will be happening across the south west with exact locations and timings being kept under wraps.
Op Scorpion, now in its sixth iteration since inception, harnesses the collective powers of the region to disrupt drug-related crime. Alongside targeting increased disruption, this iteration will also ensure young people – and their families - are being warned about the dangers of exploitation and how to spot the signs.
The regional focus is a result of the regions’ five PCCs – from Wiltshire, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Avon and Somerset – agreeing with their respective Chief Constables that their Forces, supported by the South West Regional Organised Crime unit (SWROCU), would combine operational powers to tackle cross border drugs supply, drug-related crime and associated anti-social behaviour (ASB).
Speaking about this next phase of Op Scorpion, Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick said “Operation Scorpion will be getting back to its grass roots this time round - reacting to the information and intelligence that local communities share about what’s going on in their area. Dorset Police and the other forces and operational partners involved in Scorpion will be intensely proactive and will take action against drug dealers and illegal drug use in your area.”
“To anyone who wants to see direct action taken against drug dealers, I would encourage you to share the knowledge you have about what’s going on, share that important local intelligence and help the police to take action on your behalf.”
“Dorset police will not hesitate in crushing county lines and tackling those involved in drug crime, the perpetrators will be arrested, they will go to court, and they will go to prison.”
ACC Mark Callaghan said, “We very much encourage the public to report anything they have seen or heard which might be useful to us or may be giving them cause for concern in relation drug-related crime. This might include: suspicious activity in their communities, drug-related incidents, or vulnerable adults and children being exploited. - not just during Op Scorpion, but at any time. This will help us keep communities safe and enable important intelligence to be gathered to help our investigations and disrupt drug-related crime and bring offenders to justice. Information from the public is often the final piece of the jigsaw for us and is therefore of vital importance.
“Dorset Police now has a new, easy-to-use intelligence portal through which information can be reported. People can report in just two clicks, using the button on the home page of the Force website.”
You can report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website. Alternatively, you can report concerns to Dorset Police force by calling 101 or visiting the Force website and reporting through our designated ‘Report your intelligence’ service.